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Cache La Poudre, North Fork, Colorado, US

01. Cherokee Park Rd (near Trails End) to Halligan Res. (upper)

Usual Difficulty

IV-V (for normal flows)

Length

9 Miles

River Description

At most levels this can be considered a “beginner creek” run, consisting mostly of
rock-dodging with a few more discrete drops. It’s a beautiful wilderness run that
will disappoint hard-core creeker. If you’re looking for non-stop action, go
somewhere else. If you’re seeking a wilderness run with manageable rapids and
beautiful scenery, and don’t mind a mellow paddle out to the reservoir, you’ll like
this stretch.

The big event is an uncharacteristic small falls (~6’), about 2/3 of the way through the
trip. The scout is marked by a relatively discrete drop (one of just a few) with a
prominent cliff on river left that goes all the way to water level. Get out on river left
by the large pointy rock and climb the outcrop for a look. At low to moderate water levels,
the falls tend to be low-consequence, carnage is rare, and there’s a great boof move into
the eddy below. At levels over ~ 600(?) the river-right eddy just above the falls
gets small, squirrely, and it drains into an ugly slot between two huge boulders so you’ll
want to know where you’re going. About 1,000 (?) the hole and boils into the
undercuts at the falls get ugly – be sure to scout and don’t blow the line!!
The portage isn’t fun, and is easier on river-right.

Just below the falls is a notably steep drop with a sharp left at the bottom, immediately
followed by two fun play holes and a sunny rock. Shortly beyond this you’ll enter the
fence zone and a mellow paddle out. Be heads-up for several fences that will require
portages at high water or adept fence-evading at lower levels.

The landowners at the bridge by Trails End have mellowed, and they’ve been downright
friendly the last couple years. At the putin, please be polite, respectful and modest and
don’t screw this up. Think Bailey and float through the Trails End property quietly
and quickly. There’s a long history of access issues, including confrontations and a
call to the sheriff to sort things out and it’s worth going out of your way to maintain the
currently cordial relations.

The easiest putin at the bridge is upstream river left, using the bridge abutment for
access. Unload at the bridge but leave your car at the very good off-road parking a short
(2-3 minute) walk past the bridge. The key challenge to this run is the road to Halligan,
which in the distant past (10-25 yrs) almost always opened for Memorial Day weekend. During
the past decade it’s sometimes opened earlier in May, but in 2014 Colorado Fish, Wildlife,
and Parks (by phone) was incorrectly telling boaters the road was open when in fact it was
closed. It’s a harsh 2.5 mi, uphill carry out from the reservoir. Only the
truly tough will consider that an option! There’s usually beta on MountainBuzz about
access as the water rises. The drainage for this run is low-elevation and it’s an
early-season run.

Prior to the road opening, an apparently attractive alternative is to paddle across the (posted)
Halligan Reservoir, then carry around the (posted) dam and run down to the road. It’s
physically possible to do so, but there is, unambiguously, no legal way to do it. If you
meet anyone in this section (there’s private access, it flows through a TNC reserve, and
it’s a prime fishing stretch), there’s a high likelihood of a very unpleasant
confrontation, and the very real possibility of an even more unpleasant meeting with the sheriff
at the takeout. Below Halligan the creek bed is full of willows; it's not a secret
whitewater stash.

Once Halligan Reservoir fills, you’ll have the flow at USGS gauge 06751490

CLANLICO (North Fork Cache la Poudre R. at Livermore, Co.)

For descriptions of Colorado runs, see Whitewater of the Southern Rockies by Stafford
and McCutchen, or Colorado Rivers and Creeks by Banks and Eckert.